Church News June, 2021 The Rev. Laurie J. DeMott, Minister Pastor’s Office: 607.587.9288 Home phone: 607.661.5969 Email: [email protected]Lana Meissner, Administrative Secretary, Newsletter Editor Office Hours: Wednesdays 1:00—4:00; Thursdays 1:00—4:00 Office phone: 607.587.9288 Office email: [email protected]Website: www.unionuniversitychurch.org Join us on Facebook Something to think about … I am an American Baptist, and I might say, “by birth” since both my mother and father were American Baptists except that no Baptist is ever a Baptist by birth. Baptists believe that people must reach “an age of accountability” before pledging themselves to Christ and so I didn’t officially become a Baptist until I was 12 and chose of my own free will to be baptized. In addition to practicing believer’s baptism instead of infant baptism, American Baptists do not recognize the authority of the Pope. They believe in the autonomy of the local congregation, practice baptism by immersion, view the Lord’s Supper not as a sacrament but as an ordinance (an act of remembrance), are congregational in polity, and allow women to be ordained. As an American Baptist, I also share many of the above beliefs with other sorts of Baptists, but not all of the beliefs. Southern Baptists, for example, are very similar in their practices to American Baptists but are more conservative in their interpretation of the Bible and do not support the ordination of women. As an American Baptist, I am also a Protestant, and other Protestants agree with me on some of my beliefs, but again, not all of them and fewer of them than other Baptists. There are some Protestant churches at which I would find myself on mostly familiar ground — UCC churches, some Mennonite churches, Methodists or Presbyterian churches — while there are other Protestant churches that would feel very foreign to me (the Four- square Gospel Pentecostal church, for example) and in which our only points of agreement would be the centrality of Christ and the rejection of the authority of the Pope. As an American Baptist, I am also a Christian, a very large umbrella indeed. Sharing the name Christian with Catholics, Eastern Orthodox, Seventh Day Adventists, and Mormons means that our common life as Christians is reduced to the centrality of Jesus to our faith. The beliefs and practices of all of those who call themselves Christians is so varied that it is makes defining the word “Christian” very difficult, but that doesn’t mean people don’t spend a lot of energy trying. I have frequently told people, “Almost any belief and practice that has been branded as a heresy by the Church was once believed and practiced by people who considered themselves Christian. The heretics are just the ones who lost the vote.” For over 2000 years, churches have passed decrees defining what it means to be Christian while in reality all they have accomplished is to define what it means to be the kind of Christian they are.
I am an American Baptist, and I might say, “by birth” since both my mother and father were American Baptists except that no Baptist is ever a Baptist by birth. Baptists believe that people must reach “an age of accountability” before pledging themselves to Christ and so I didn’t officially become a Baptist until I was 12 and chose of my own free will to be baptized. In addition to practicing believer’s baptism instead of infant baptism, American Baptists do not
recognize the authority of the Pope. They believe in the autonomy of the local congregation, practice baptism by immersion, view the Lord’s Supper not as a sacrament but as an ordinance (an act of remembrance), are congregational in polity, and allow women to be ordained. As an American Baptist, I also share many of the above beliefs with other sorts of Baptists, but not all of the beliefs. Southern Baptists, for example, are very similar in their practices to American Baptists but are more conservative in their interpretation of the Bible and do not support the ordination of women. As an American Baptist, I am also a Protestant, and other Protestants agree with me on some of my beliefs, but again, not all of them and fewer of them than other Baptists. There are some Protestant churches at which I would find myself on mostly familiar ground — UCC churches, some Mennonite churches, Methodists or Presbyterian churches — while there are other Protestant churches that would feel very foreign to me (the Four-square Gospel Pentecostal church, for example) and in which our only points of agreement would be the centrality of Christ and the rejection of the authority of the Pope. As an American Baptist, I am also a Christian, a very large umbrella indeed. Sharing the name Christian with Catholics, Eastern Orthodox, Seventh Day Adventists, and Mormons means that our common life as Christians is reduced to the centrality of Jesus to our faith. The beliefs and practices of all of those who call themselves Christians is so varied that it is makes defining the word “Christian” very difficult, but that doesn’t mean people don’t spend a lot of energy trying. I have frequently told people, “Almost any belief and practice that has been branded as a heresy by the Church was once believed and practiced by people who considered themselves Christian. The heretics are just the ones who lost the vote.” For over 2000 years, churches have passed decrees defining what it means to be Christian while in reality all they have accomplished is to define what it means to be the kind of Christian they are.
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There is a lot of talk about unity in our society today as people, wearied from the arguments and divisiveness of the times, seek to find a way back to a sense of community. The problem with much of the talk, however, is that it turns out that people’s desires for unity will only be fulfilled when their opponents change their minds and come over to their side. For many, “unity” means, “Let’s all agree to agree with me.” In faith, as it is in our society, true unity is hard to achieve because allowing space for a variety of opinions and practices requires humility. For some reason, we assume our beliefs and choices can only be legitimate if we can show that other’s beliefs and choices are wrong, as if there cannot be more than one way to God. This insistence on unity through uniformity is uniquely human. I have never seen a maple tree tell an oak, “Hey now, that’s no way to be a tree. Your leaves are deformed and those acorns you drop every fall are despicable. Why can’t you make a sweet sap like I do? And you call yourself a tree!” The diversity of a woods is what gives the forest its beauty and its strength: a variety of species prevents disease from rampaging through the forest and the abundance of different types of food and habitats in the forest provides a healthy home for a wide array of animals. So too, a diversity of ideas and practices in our faith will strengthen us and keep us spiritually healthy by challenging our assumptions and broadening our experiences, ensuring that we never replace the living God with our personal belief system. I am thankful for this congregation’s willingness to worship side by side with people who have different traditions and experiences and yet who find such diversity a source of strength for their faith. Our church finds commonality in our personal dedication to follow in the way of Christ while at the same time accepting that we may all follow in different ways. We are so used to our “unity in our diversity” that we don’t always realize how unique a stance it is, nor appreciate how good it is for our souls. In 1928, Samuel R. Scholes, the father of our own Sam Scholes, wrote “The Community Church,” the first verse of which says, “Through centuries of conflict in clash of thought with thought, our founders for opinions and formal creeds have fought. We have the greater freedom, the way of Christ to prove; let us agree to differ while we resolve to love.” Almost 100 years later, those words remain true to who we are, and who I hope we will always continue to be. Let us agree to differ while we resolve to love.
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Roster of Church Officers
2021 -2022 Board of Christian Education
2022 Monica Reginio 2022 Vacant 2023 Jan Porter 2023 Melissa Jusianiec 2024 Tim Smith 2024 Mary Perkins
Diaconate
2022 Jan Casey 2022 Karrie Edwards 2023 Barb Willis 2023 Sharon Burdick 2024 M. McDonough 2024 Mary Ann Whittemore
Board of Elders
2022 Jen Smith 2022 John Buckwalter 2023 Deb Stephens 2023 Larry Casey 2024 Eliza Ordway 2024 Mary Lou Cartledge
The Board of Elders has decided to designate June as another “Donate to a Charity of Your Choice” month. Please donate directly to the charity of your choice.
A Parable
There’s a story about a church member on vacation. While hiking through a forest, he was caught in a sudden summer downpour. To escape a drenching, he crawled into a hollow log. There, safe from the rain and lulled by its steady sound, he soon fell asleep. When the man awoke, he found that the rain had swelled the wood of the log. He was stuck. Try as he might, he couldn’t get out, and realized he might die there. The man’s life began to pass before his eyes. He thought of his unpaid church pledge and how little he had given. This made him feel so small that he was able to crawl out of the log with ease. From the NewsletterNewletter , 2008 used with permission
Church News & Events
June
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That you may live from the Newsletter Newsletter, June 2021 by Heidi Mann used with permission During the pandemic, I’ve worshiped online with several congregations. The web address for one ends “.net/live.” As I navigate to this site, I tend to read the adjective form “live,” as in “livestream.” One Sunday, however, the verb form, as in “Worship and live,” popped into my mind. I had almost slept in and skipped that morning’s service. But as I worshiped with others, albeit remotely, my spirit indeed felt increasingly alive. That whole day I felt I was living more fully because I’d been inspired by God’s Word in sermon and song and shared in praising God with others. Worship reminds us there is something — Someone — greater than ourselves. Worship opens us to new ways of living.
Moses, after he had passed along God’s gift of the Ten Commandments, including the rule to keep the Sabbath day holy through rest and worship, told the people, “Walk in obedience to all that the Lord your God has commanded you, so that you may live” (Deuteronomy 5:33, NIV).
We too worship God regularly — so that we may more fully live.
True, Needful, Kind
If you are tempted to reveal a tale to you someone has told about another, make it pass, before you speak, three gates of gold; these narrow gates.
First, “Is it true?” Then, “Is it needful?” In your mind give truthful answer. And the next is last and narrowest, “Is it kind?”
And if to reach your lips at last it passes through these gateways three, then you may tell the tale, nor fear what the result of speech may be. Beth Day, “The Three Gates” (1835)
See Light, Be Light From the NewsletterNewsletter, June 2021used with permission In January 2021, National Youth Poet Laureate Amanda Gorman presented her poem “The Hill We Climb” at the presidential inauguration. The final lines read: “For there is always light, / if only we’re brave enough to see it. / If only we’re brave enough to be it.”
How often we long for light! In recent years we’ve agonized amid pandemic, angry politics and new awareness of racism. Some have suffered deep sorrow. But Jesus says, “I am the light of the world” (John 8:12) and invites us to turn to him. God is always bringing light into darkness, through helpers, healers, peacemakers, friends. Sometimes bravery is required to turn our focus from the negative to the positive — to see the light of God.
Jesus also says, “You are the light of the world” (Matthew 5:14, emphasis added) and calls us to brighten the gloom. That requires bravery, as Gorman notes, but as Christians we’re urged to look for light not just to make our own lives better but to shine into others’ lives too. The Holy Spirit gives us the needed courage — to both see and be light.
Church News & Events cont.
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A special Thank You to everyone at UUC who
made it possible for us to stay connected during
the pandemic. As Rev. DeMott has pointed out:
we did not skip a beat or miss a single Sunday of
worship. Through God’s abiding love you all
made us stronger as a Church.
“The Centennial Planning Committee is looking for historical resources such as photos, videos, audio recordings, etc. from UUC functions from past years. If you have any of these, please contact Larry Casey as he will be putting together a video for our 100 Year Celebration.”
The organizational meeting of the UUC Centennial Committee met via Zoom on May 25. Dave Porter was elected chair. Those present were asked to share how many years they have been actively involved with UUC: Joan (51 yrs), John (16 yrs), Sharon (50 yrs), Larry (17 yrs), Dave (56 yrs), Mindy (8 yrs), MaryAnn (6 yrs)
Possible activities were brainstormed, including: • A visual timeline of major events (pastoral leader-
ship, major changes, building programs, etc) • Updated narrative history of the last 25 years (50
year history was written in 1972 and 75 year his-tory was written in 1996)
• A video production incorporating historical still photographs, audio recordings, and video record-ings
• Compile comprehensive historical lists of mem-bers, baptisms, weddings, funerals, and Christmas projects
Committee members volunteered to begin working on projects as follows:
Mindy and MaryAnn will compile facts and write the history of the last 25 years (1997-2022).
John will look for technology that will allow transfer of VHS recordings to MP4 video format.
Sharon will locate and provide video recordings on VHS from her archives.
Larry will edit and produce the video production. He made a similar one for Laurie’s 30-year celebration and can probably use some parts of it again for this one.
Dave will ask Lana to announce in the newsletter that our committee is asking UUC members to contribute historical resources such as photos, videos, audio recordings.
Dave will ask Laurie for access to her member-ship database. He will also ask if she thinks it would work to use Rally Day in September as a kick-off for our Centennial celebration.
Discussion followed regarding the frequency of events during the centennial year. We should have a kick-off in September. Laurie’s retirement celebra-tion, probably in December, could include a histori-cal overview of her 38 years of ministry at UUC. A welcome event for the transitional minister in January 2022 could include historical highlights. The committee will meet monthly for the near term. The next meeting will be on June 23 at 7 pm via Zoom.
Church News & Events cont.
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A Prayer for Summer from “A Concord Pastor” Come summer with me, Lord: summer deep down in my soul… Let the warmth, the joy, the light of summer days seep deep into my heart and bless me with your presence… Let these summer days fill my need for leisure, laziness and play... Let the summer restore my faith in all things beautiful, simple, given and divine... Let this summer restore my faith in you, Lord... Come summer with me, Lord: summer deep down in my soul… Help me put the brakes on the merry-go-round-go-nowhere rush of the life I lead... Summer in my heart and dwell there, Lord, as though these days will never end, as if all time were child’s time, eternal time, when school is always out and joy is ever in… Help me find a peaceful pace so I can hear the words that your heart speaks to mine… Slow me down and let the summer's doldrums lull, calm and call me to a place of prayer, of meeting you again as if bumping into an old friend, strolling the streets of my vacation… Come summer with me, Lord: summer deep down in my soul… If I have a chance to get away, help me pack just what I need and leave all else behind; help me leave my work at work and leave at home the complicating clutter of my life; help me keep things just as simple as I can, making room for you and me to be together… And if I find myself tied down by burdens, cares and worries, then clear a place and make a time each day for me to rest and join you in the shade that you provide for me beneath my troubles’ noonday sun… Send the Spirit of your peace to tame and quiet any chaos in my mind and in my heart… Let me waste no summer time that’s mine for rest and for refreshing body, mind and soul... Come summer with me, Lord: summer deep down in my soul… From: http://concordpastor.blogspot.com/2013/06/pause-for-prayer-first-day-of-summer-621.html
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Catherine Chambers, Ding Jiaxi & family, Michelle Garcia Escobar, Clayton Stutzman, Hugh Langelier, Lois Stiles, Wes Bentz, 3 yr. old Lowin, Marnie Johnson (Joan Schulze’s niece), Sharon Burdick, Michele Hluchy’s father (Rev. Stephen Hluchy) who broke his leg, Tiersa Watson’s great niece (Katharine) & infant (Kinsley) who were in a car accident, Kristen Meissner Vargason’s college roommate (Wendy), Sharon & Roger Smith: Roger has been diagnosed with pneumonia.
Upcoming Sunday Leaders
If you are not able to serve as scheduled, please switch with someone listed on the charts below and notify
the Church Office. If you are unable to find someone to switch with you, please contact either the Elder of
the Month or the Deacon of the Month.
Date Lay Leader Flowers Usher
June 6 Mary Lou Cartledge Communion Bob Heineman
June 13 Eliza Ordway Cindy Tucker Bob Heineman
June 20 Larry Casey Jan & Larry Casey Bob Heineman
June 27 Caiti Dewey Lana Meissner Bob Heineman
July 4 Larry Casey Communion Bob Heineman
July 11 Lana Meissner Mary Lou Cartledge Bob Heineman
July18 Joan Bowden Mary Ann Whittemore Bob Heineman
Who do you call? Flowers or lay leading—call an Elder; greeting or coffee hour—call a Deacon;
Sunday school—call BOCE; building issues—call a Trustee.
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Hart Comfort House
Sun Mon Tue Wed Thu Fri Sat
1 2 3 4 5
6 10:30
Worship—
Communion
7 8 9 10 11 12
1310:30
Worship 14 15 16 17 18 19
2010:30
Worship 21 22 23 24 25 26
2710:30
Worship 28 29 30
“Green was the silence, wet was the light,
the month of June trembled like a butterfly.”
— Pablo Neruda,
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A minister delivered a sermon in
ten minutes one Sunday
morning, ...which was about half the usual length of his sermons. He explained, “I regret to inform you that my dog, who is very fond of eating paper, ate that portion of my sermon which I was unable to deliver this morning.”
After the service, a visitor from another church shook hands with the preacher and said, “Pastor, if that dog of yours has any pups, I want to get one to give to my minister.”
Paddy was in New York. He was patiently waiting, and watching the traffic cop on a busy street crossing. The cop stopped the flow of traffic and shouted, “Okay, pedestrians.”
Then he'd allow the traffic to pass. He'd done this several times, and Paddy still stood on the sidewalk.
After the cop had shouted “Pedestrians” for the tenth time, Paddy went over to him and said, “Is it not about time ye let the Catholics across?”
The Usher
An elderly woman walked into the local country church. The friendly usher greeted her at the door and helped her up the flight of steps. “Where would you like to sit?” he asked politely.
“The front row please,” she answered.
“You really don't want to do that,” the usher said. “The pastor is really boring.”
“Do you happen to know who I am?” the woman inquired.
“No.” he said.
“I'm the pastor's mother,” she replied indignantly.
“Do you know who I am?” he asked.
“No.” she said. “Good,” he answered.
Kids say the darndest things... A Sunday school teacher asked her class, “Does anyone know what we mean by sins of omission?” A little girl raised her hand and said, “Aren’t those the sins we should have committed, but didn’t?”
